Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

1988 - The Unification of the Fatherland

In 1988, Reverend Moon gave the motto The Unification of the Fatherland. He stated that the year 1987 was the Cain-type unification era, the time for preparation, and that the year 1988 was the Abel-type unification era, the time for action.

"Nowadays, the atmosphere surrounding the unification of North and South Korea is ripening. In the last election, all the candidates introduced policies for North-South unification. One cannot consider the policies they presented as a truthful vision as they do not know the Principle. However, it can be said that they contributed to citizens' awareness that this is the time for unification. In this sense, I believe that the year 1988 will become an important time for the unification of North and South Korea."

In 1988, God's will and Reverend Moon's firm determination were clearly visible as he carried out a vigorous program of activities centered on the Citizens Fatherland that he had established the previous year.

This was also the year when Korea hosted the Olympic Games. Reverend Moon stressed that the membership should take the opportunity to communicate worldwide the will of the Korean people for reunification and for achieving of confrontation between communism and democracy.

After several Olympiads had been hit by boycotts, the 1988 Games became a new turning point for the harmonization and unification of humankind. That the 1988 Olympics were held in Korea had great significance for the providence. Reverend Moon, more than anyone else, supported the Olympic teams which represented the younger generation from each nation, and encouraged athletes from the third world nations and the communist bloc with donations amounting to 2.1 billion won, plus supplies of goods.

The vision of the Korean peninsula is not merely the result of historical forces but also carries the providential significance of being the frontier between God and Satan. God, who has wanted to save this world, and Satan, who has not wanted to relinquish his dominion over the sinful world, fiercely confronted each other. Eventually, Satan's communist nation was established in the North, and God's democratic nation in the South.

This long, drawn out forty-year confrontation turned into a tug-of-war, and the issue of which side is in the right and superior has been emerging with the approach of the era of unification. By 1987, signs of the advent of this era were appearing clearly in the South, and this fortune began to extend to the North in 1988.

In his God's Day midnight prayer, Reverend Moon prayed:

"Now I am well aware of that there is no other way for this nation to go than the way of unification. I am also aware that no matter how economically advanced the South becomes, it has no choice but to deal with the North, and that no matter how hopeful the South is for the future politically speaking, it has no choice but to be in the position to influence reunification. For this reason, I ask You, Heavenly Father, please lead all movements for the resolution of the North-South situation from now on. Therefore, please allow this year to go beyond this critical point in time in accordance with our deep hope for the providence, and allow the spirit of unification to grow."

On May 14, to provide a new turning point in the mission in Korea, the church made some staff changes in accordance with Reverend Moon's directions. These affected church regional and district leaders, and provincial IFVOC leaders.

The leaders of Region 1 in Seoul, and Region 3, and that of Cheju Region, were the only ones to retain their positions. Twelve regional leaders, including the Pusan district leader, were reassigned. In addition, 230 other church personnel, including district leaders and other church leaders (except those in Seoul) were affected by the changes, which followed the principle of "hometown appointment" for the combined efficiency of the church and returning to hometown.

On September 27, Reverend Moon gathered representatives from 120 nations at Hannam-dong official residence, and performed the Ceremony of Dispensational Reversal Toward Unification. On that day he proposed the holding of a World Cultural Festival transcending nation, ideology, religion, race and ideal, for the creation and building of a world in which God, humankind and all things could exist harmoniously, and to rebuild humanity's devastated spiritual culture.

Reverend Moon declared the Foundation Day of the Nation of the Unified World at the II Hwa Company's main auditorium on October 3, before 1,200 participants including representatives from 120 nations. This constituted one of the main events of 1988. "Matching" 751 pairs of members as brothers and sisters, Reverend Moon declared that the Nation of the Unified World had begun from this day, and that a new heaven and earth would emerge in this land.

Three thousand people attended the "Determination and Action Rally of Seoul Citizens and Students for the Liberation of North Korea and the Unification of North and South Korea" organized by the National Student Federation for the Unification of North and South Korea held on Daehak-ro ("University Street") of July 31. Following this event, on November 6, also on Daehak-ro, 30,000 attended the "Citizens and Students Action Rally for the Unification of North and South Korea," organized by the same body. These rallies, the purpose of which was to concentrate the nation's potential will for unification following the Olympic Games, brought together citizens and students from every field and walk of life, overcame the tendency of the left-wing movement to foment division in public opinion and, furthermore, consolidated God's will to unify the two Koreas by liberating those persecuted under the dictatorship of Kim II Sung.

Construction of the Dowon Building was completed at 292-20 Dohwa-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and the Interdenominational Conferences for Clergy (ICC) for American ministers, which had been held regularly since April 1985, took place thirteen times, achieving the objective as was expected.

The 6,516-couple International Blessing was held in grand style at a special wedding hall at the II Hwa Training Center at Yongin, with participants from eighteen nations including Korea and Japan. They were mobilized from December 1 and continued their activities until September 30, 1992, and beyond.

Notable events this year included:

January 3-23: Special training for Principle and VOC lecturers.

January 21: Jae-suk Lee elected president of the Association of   Religions in Korea (ARK.)

March to May: Special training for blessed families and core members: four days in each region.

April 8: Establishment of the Citizens Federation for Unification in All Directions.

August 6-8: Korean-Japanese Student Friendship Camp.

August 17-21: Fifth World CARP Convention, in Thailand.

November 24-27: Seventeenth International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences.

December 19-25: National leaders seminar to prepare for the Unification of Korea.

Korean-Japanese Security Council (19 times, 48th-66th meetings)

One millionth graduate from the International Central Training Center (Between June 15, 1970 and November 1988.)